


A Family

by AussieTransfan2015, TheBigLoserQueen



Series: Mythical AU [51]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Fights, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Interspecies, Interspecies Relationship(s), Mythical Beings & Creatures, Past Abuse, Rescue Missions, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 08:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16133822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AussieTransfan2015/pseuds/AussieTransfan2015, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBigLoserQueen/pseuds/TheBigLoserQueen
Summary: Sally gets taken by three ogres, leaving Breakdown and Nightfury to be the ones to save her.





	1. Chapter 1

Sally couldn’t have been happier than she was now. A lot had changed in the past couple of months, but it had really all been for the better.  
  
She had made friends with Nightfury and Genesis. Genesis was always so sweet and nice to her and Nightfury was like a female version of Breakdown. She really liked them a lot and she loved spending time with them when she could… Which had been a little hard to do for a while since she was always traveling with Breakdown and Knock Out to different villages and cities.  
  
Not to mention that, at first, her lovers didn’t really like her friends at. And her friends didn’t seem to like her lovers either. It had been disheartening, but she had tried to remain optimistic.  
  
It eventually paid off too. It had taken some time, but Breakdown and Knock Out were getting along so well with Nightfury and Genesis. All four of them weren’t giving each other glares or getting angry anymore. Nightfury would sometimes smile, albeit small, when Breakdown sparred with her, and Genesis and Knock Out would talk endlessly about medicine and other topics that made the unicorn blush.  
  
Nightfury had even saved Breakdown from those hunters who had hurt him. She called him family… and that was what she had felt like with the four of them. They were a family.  
  
Soon after though, Knock Out and Breakdown were permanently stationed in one of King Megatron’s stronger, more populated cities. It was a rich city, known for its weapons production and trading. But the city was still surrounded by a lot of smaller villages and farmland close to forests, which allowed her to go out with Breakdown for hunts.  
  
That was when Knock Out had written Genesis, asking them to move out into one of the surrounding villages. They were both great doctors, but Knock Out was expensive. Not to mention he had to tend to soldiers as well as citizens who could afford him. That meant a lot of those living outside the city with more humble earnings couldn’t afford to see him. Knock Out asked to have him and Nightfury settle in one of the villages, so he could be a doctor for those who needed medical care and not much money.  
  
He also asked for her sake. He knew how important her friends were to her… and to make it even better, Nightfury and Genesis had agreed. Now she could see them all the time, since they lived so close to her now.  
  
Everything was wonderful, she thought to herself. She skipping through the forest alone, singing softly to herself as flowers bloomed behind her. Breakdown and Nightfury went hunting today and she decided to go with them while Genesis and Knock Out were in the city; apparently, there was a surgery he needed some help with.  
  
She stopped by a large pond. Smiling, she moved to sit on the cool grass. This would be a good spot for her to wait. After all, she had promised Nightfury and Breakdown she wouldn’t go too far from them. She didn’t want them to worry.  
  
She had plenty to occupy her time, often a friendly mermaid would come and talk to her or a few of her fellow nymphs would invite her to frolic with them. But something seemed a little quiet today. Usually birds would be singing with her as she hummed and sang, but everything was quiet.  
  
Even as a few more minutes passed, it was still quiet. It got her a little curious, looking over into the pool of water. Her mermaid friend hadn’t arrived and there weren’t even any fish swimming around. Something seemed off...  
  
“Oh finally! Look over here!”  
  
A voice snapped from the tree line, turning Sally’s attention to find three large ogres approaching her. They weren’t any she recognized, nor did they carry the same colored emblem Breakdown had. Before she could even speak, one of them snatched her up. Sally shrieked, a wave of fear coming over her as she tried to figure out what was going on.  
  
“You’d think Dala would like her?” the one holding her said, looking to his friends.  
  
One of them nodded. “She’s perfect: small and weak and cute - she’s a good doll, Volley.”  
  
“Gearfoot’s right;” the other said. “Better than anything you’d find in the market.”  
  
Sally didn’t know what was going on. A doll? What did they mean? And they thought she would be good for someone? They weren’t making sense. She wasn’t a doll, she was a nymph! She didn’t want to be a gift for someone she didn’t know! And she didn’t even know these ogres!  
  
Volley, the ogre holding her, moved to adjust her to throw her over his shoulder. But his grip had loosened enough for her to push herself from his grasp and onto the ground. The ogres weren’t expecting that, a little caught off guard, so it gave her a chance to jump to her feet and make a run for it.  
  
She didn’t dare look back; she had to get back to Breakdown and Nightfury. If she could find them, they would help her. They would stop these ogres from taking her. But before she could make it to the tree line, a heavy net pulled her to the ground. She struggled, but the nest was made of heavy rope and had strange balls at its corners.  
  
“Watch it, Rush!” Volley snapped. “We don’t want her all banged up!”  
  
Rush seemed to roll his eyes before coming over to gather up the net. Sally was helpless to do anything as he pulled the net back, only to snatch Sally’s wrists in a firm grip. She gasped when heavy shackles suddenly clamped over them. Her arms ended up slumping to the ground; even if she wanted to run, they were too heavy for her to lift.  
  
“Come on, let’s head back,” Gearfoot said, reaching to grab Sally again.  
  
“Please! Please, let me go!” Sally sobbed, still struggling despite the weight of the shackles. Looking up, she recoiled at the nasty glare Gearfoot was giving her.  
  
“Stop making a fuss, and you won’t get hurt.”  
  
“Please,” she whimpered, tears threatening to fall as she was lifted up again. “I… I want to go home.”  
  
“Good. Cause that’s where we’re going.”  
  
Sally was helpless to do anything as the ogre threw her over his shoulder. She shook in his grip, her eyes locked on the shackles. Why was this happening? She hadn’t done anything bad, had she? Why was this happening to her? She didn’t want to be a doll! Not when everything was finally good…  
  
She finally had a family. A real family, nothing like how her mother and siblings had been like. And now… Now she was being taken away somewhere. Somewhere she didn’t know and Breakdown and Nightfury wouldn’t know where she went. Primus, what if they thought she ran away? What if they thought she didn’t want to be with them and ran? She would never see them again...  
  
All Sally could do was whimper, hoping someone would come find her. And soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Breakdown knew something wasn’t right. He felt it in his chest just a few moments ago and it wouldn’t leave him. There was this sense of dread pooling in his stomach and he couldn’t take it. He thought it had just been some weird feeling while hunting, but even after making the kill, he couldn’t shake it off.  
  
“Breakdown, what’s wrong?” Nightfury knew something was up. Not just with Breakdown, but in the area. She could feel the few hairs on her neck stand up. Even just before they snagged the large boar they tracked down, the forest was eerily quiet. Something had spooked the wildlife.  
  
“Something feels off, can’t shake it.” He was gruff; it meant it was more than a predator being nearby. That worried her. As well as the fact Sally was still out and about. “I... we need to find Sally and leave.”  
  
Ever since the winged Leanashe saved him from those cult hunters and shared the fact she considered them family, it was something he had to get used to. He cared for and loved Sally, that would never change no matter what. But now, with Nightfury and her unicorn mate, Genesis, standing in as Sally’s kind-of adopted parents, he knew they would be a part of this too.  
  
“You’re faster with those wings; take the kill back and I’ll get Sally.”  
  
“I’ll keep an eye out from the air; I’ll meet you at her spot.” Nightfury no longer held the weary look she used to, another point Breakdown had to become accustomed to - considering this was the same hybrid who could turn feral when she had accidentally stumbled on them having a ‘private moment’. But that wasn’t a concern now; Sally was.  
  
Watching her take off, circling the area a moment before heading towards the village, Breakdown took to the trees. This feeling in his chest wouldn’t go away.  
  
He had felt this before. A long time ago when he and Knock Out were first starting to feel something for Sally, who was still living in that forsaken brothel. Both he and Knock Out had just felt strange one day. He hadn’t known what to do about it, so he didn’t say anything, but Knock Out hadn’t been able to sit around. He had gone to the brothel later in the evening to check on her. That was when he had discovered that Sally and a few other girls, some underage, were to be sold to some rich pervert and disgusting his friends.  
  
The next thing Breakdown knew, Knock Out had brought Sally to live with them and the brothel had been raided by guards. It was shut down and people were arrested… And it was all due to that feeling in their chests. Just like he was feeling now.  
  
He ran towards the pond he knew where she always waited by whenever they went hunting. But as he came to the small pool, no one was there. The feeling grew, bolting around the small area for any sign of Sally, but found none. The place didn’t seem any different; there wasn’t any broken branches, nothing appearing to be signs of a struggle. And yet Sally wasn’t here; she was flighty and loved frolicking around, but she never moved from this spot when they went out hunting.  
  
“Breakdown!” Warning of her decent, Breakdown stepped aside as Nightfury adjusted and coiled her tail under herself. “I checked the meadow; no sign of her.”  
  
“And she’s not here, something isn’t right.”  
  
“Wait,” Breakdown turned, watching as Nightfury’s eyes slitted, her serpentine tongue darting out and her nose twitched. So strange how she scented the air, but her senses were stronger than his so whatever worked in their favor.  
  
“Is it Sally?” he asked, still keeping an eye out for anything.  
  
“Yes… and Ogres,” she hissed. Thinking she had just smelt him had him watching her slithering and twitching like an angry snake. Moving over the same area he had, she hissed. “There were three, maybe four… not any I’ve met, and not like you…”  
  
He knew what she meant. Once she had mentioned most ogres had very minute differences in scents, mostly from where they lived. But if they weren’t like him… He knew there was an ogre tribe south from here, closer to the mountain range. And if the ogres had been here and so had Sally…  
  
His eyes widened. Orges didn’t eat other creatures; they were only interested in the non-sentient animals. If these ogres were here and they had captured Sally… She wasn’t food. She had to have been a gift.  
  
It was a common practice among ogres, though how it all went varied from tribe to tribe. But live gifts or living dolls were popular among ogres. Whether it was for a festival or an engagement or even a birthday, live gifts were highly valued among his species. And Sally was young and beautiful and docile… She would have been an ideal gift to give to anyone.  
  
Unless she tried to run away or escape. He didn’t think she would, considering that she feared pain and punishment, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try at least once. That would make her captors think they had to “break her in.” And Primus only knew what horrific things they would do to her to make her submit.  
  
“We have to find them,” he said. “We have to find them before they hurt her.”  
  
She didn’t argue, and she didn’t become frantic. She needed to stay calm, calm enough to find the right scents. Tasting the air, sniffing the grass and plants nearby, her tail slid over something. A deep imprint in the dry dirt, enough she could feel it as she crossed. Her struggle grew as the smells began expanding; it meant the ogres either covered more ground or their time was waning.  
  
Breakdown followed behind, close to keep his own eye out for anything. He paused as Nightfury stopped, eyeing something caught on a bramble. She sniffed, and her tongue flicked.  
  
“Scrap of cloth,” pulling it off the bush, they both recognised it. “From Sally’s dress.”  
  
“They can’t be too far,” he growled, now more worried. But then he caught something a little way up. A small totem, something the Tribes carved into trees when they settled, allowing their hunters to find their way back. He recognised the mark, and knew which tribe it came from. The same tribe he knew wasn’t far from here.  
  
“Their scent leads this way,” Nightfury hissed, hoping they weren’t too late.  
  
“Come on!” Breakdown took off, now leading with Nightfury finding the path. He could catch each tribe mark; when one couldn’t be found, Nightfury could catch the scent again. Breaking the treeline, they found the tribe encampment.  
  
“She’s here,” Nightfury growled, her eyes turning a sick green as she loomed forward.  
  
But Breakdown was faster, catching her shoulders. “Wait.”  
  
Her head snapped to him, growling and already showing her berserker side slowly coming out. Sally was in there, probably terrified, and he wanted them to wait?!  
  
“Take a breath. You can’t go in there and slaughter everyone.” Nightfury opened her mouth to argue, but Breakdown shook his head. “You kill everyone here, every ogre clan will be out for blood. And not just yours, but Genesis and maybe even Sally’s too. You’ve got me here; we don’t need a blood bath.”  
  
“If they’ve harmed one hair…” Nightfury tried to calm herself, recalling the techniques Genesis and even Knock Out taught her, but her motherly side feared and worried for Sally.  
  
“They’ll be payback, but no one dies. Or else it’ll put the others at risk. Trust me.” It was a gamble, even he didn’t fully believe it. But he needed Nightfury on his side and following his lead. Ogres weren’t dumb like some might have believed. There was a system to this, and they needed to tread lightly.  
  
Nightfury breathed, her markings fading and her eyes returning to normal. She nodded, patting his arm and muttering a small thanks, slithering back to let him lead. She would help, even if she didn’t have a lot of room to work with.  
  
They approached the front gate. Two ogres were standing guard, their eyes locking on the two of them as they approached. They noticed Nightfury first, stiffening a bit at her strange appearance. Breakdown knew that sneaking around in the village would be close to impossible because of her…  
  
And him too, if he were being honest. Though not as legendary as General Bombrush or his son, the current Ogre Champion, he was still well known among all the tribes. He worked closely under Lord Megatron, who was highly respected and received a lot of support from the clans.  
  
So though the guards were unsure of Nightfury, they stood up straight when they saw him. “Brother Breakdown?” one of them said.  
  
Breakdown gave a small wave in acknowledgement.  
  
The other guard seemed to relax, giving a small smirk. “Where’s your incubus? I’ve never see you travel without him.”  
  
“He’s busy, so I came with… a temporary companion for the day.”  
  
The two looked uneasily at Nightfury. “... She’s a medic?”  
  
“We’re not here for medical purposes,” he explained, hoping she wouldn’t take offense to them. To be fair, she was definitely strange looking and Ogres weren’t known to be shy about their feelings. “General Bombrush and Lord Megatron just wanted to make a few trips through the clans, check up on everything.”  
  
“Do you need to speak to the Elder?”  
  
“... I’ll take a look around before that.”  
  
The guards seemed to believe him. Once they gave the clear to a guard up in a small defense tower, the gates to the village opened. Breakdown didn’t waste any time entering, Nightfury following close behind before the gates closed behind them.  
  
Immediately, Nightfury knew everyone was staring at her, something she was used to. Taking little care in what the other ogres thought, she stayed close to Breakdown to ensure no trouble was caused. They had to be careful; she didn’t want to cause panic and Sally ended up hurt. Or worse.  
  
It had been a while since Breakdown had visited an ogre tribe. While this wasn’t his clan, there was still a sense of familiarity about it all. Knock Out hated visiting these place, but it was like coming home. Or it would have been if he wasn’t so focused on finding Sally.  
  
“Anything?” he asked quietly, waving to a group of young female ogres who had called him out.  
  
“Sifting through a lot,” she muttered back, fighting the urge to block her nose. Whether it was the Garuda in her or simply because of where she used to live, some of these smells were foul. She was surprised that Breakdown didn’t seem bothered by any of it.  
  
Then, she caught a scent that was much more pleasant than the rest. “Over there.”  
  
She pointed down a little slipway. Quickly, they snuck over to it before slipping through to the other side. The pair came upon a small gathering, some of the female ogres chatting and trying to get a look at something.  
  
Breakdown gruffed, approaching the group.  
  
Seeing him and Nightfury approach, some of them dispersed, allowing them to see. There, eyes widening, they saw Sally dressed up in a manner much like a doll with her wrists still shackled and her hair tussled with flowers and twigs, making her look like what many thought nymphs looked like.  
  
She was quiet, keeping her head down as she tried not to look at anyone. She was even shaking a little, but no one seemed to notice. Or care as she was settled in a female ogre’s lap, the ogress dolting and fawning over her ‘gift’ with a proud looking male standing beside her and sharing a drink with his comrades.  
  
Nightfury seethed. Didn’t they notice how upset Sally was? Maybe even hurt? She could feel her talons itch, the need to protect her and slaughter everyone in sight to get to her. Not only that, memories of her own incarceration flowing back, her treatment and torture fuelling her anger... But she didn’t let herself lose it. Instead, she breathed in deeply, distracting her thoughts. She couldn’t be the cause of them failing. Of Sally getting hurt.  
  
“Ah! Brother Breakdown!”  
  
Sally perked up at the name. She glanced up, eyes widening with her mouth falling slightly agape when she saw Breakdown and Nightfury stand there. She almost smiled when her new owner gently took a hold of her chin, titling it up and forcing her to drink some rich juice.  
  
Nightfury twitched in rage, but said nothing. Though she did note Breakdown’s hands were shaking.  
  
The ogre who called out his name beamed with pride as he waved to them. “You honor us; I’ve just sealed our betrothal, come drink! And your companion as well!”  
  
Another ogre came up to them, holding up mugs of strong ale and grog while the ogre just cackled with his tribesmen. Breakdown stared at the mugs offered to him and Nightfury, both unaccepting. He had easily put two and two together; it took all of his willpower to not just tackle that bastard to the ground.  
  
If this was an engagement feast, then Sally must have been a live gift for the bride-to-be. Dolls were growing incredibly popular among ogre women and girls. Usually they were sold at markets, but were incredibly expensive. Unlike slaves, dolls were meant to be dressed up and prettied and paraded around; they were seen as a sign of status.   
  
And since Sally was beautiful, unique with her ginger hair and bright green eyes, she was considered exotic. A perfect engagement gift… except she wasn’t some object to be handed out. She was his lover. And even if he had to fight every single person present at this feast, he would get her back.  
  
“We’re not here to drink,” he said firmly.  
  
“You here on business then?”  
  
“In a manner of speaking,” Nightfury growled, glaring and putting some of the younger Ogres on edge. Her eyes narrowed as the betrothed ogress pulled Sally closer to her.  
  
Breakdown moved a bit in front of her, just to put everyone else at ease for a second. “Where is the Elder?”  
  
He could see the ogre was catching onto his displeasure, having a companion run off to get the elder. It didn’t take long for the older ogre leader to arrive. He was leaner than most due to his age, but all bowed their heads as he approached.  
  
“I am Elder Switchboard, welcome Brother Breakdown.” The Elder offered his arm, a greeting Breakdown met if only out of courtesy. And if he didn’t, Megatron would hear about it and that was a headache he didn’t need. “What can we do for you?”  
  
“Release my daughter,” Nightfury hissed, approaching the Elder and pointing to Sally.  
  
“And my lover,” Breakdown added, showing his own anger.  
  
The bride shifted back, holding Sally even closer while the groom stormed forward. The little nymph merely wiggled in her grip, looking to Breakdown and Nightfury with worry in her eyes.  
  
“No way!” he snapped. “I found the nymph! She’s my gift to my betrothed and she’s accepted! There’s no way-!”  
  
Nightfury eyes glowed, her markings ooze and shine while her talons grew and her wings unfurled. It immediately made the ogre hesitate, stepping back a bit with wide eyes. But, again, Breakdown placed a hand on her. She had to stay calm, or else this wouldn’t be easy and Sally could get hurt.  
  
The Elder peaked a brow, noting the shared look between them and how Nightfury swallowed her anger. “I can see the truth,” he noted. “None but a mother would cause such a display, and the patience of a lover could only calm.”  
  
“But Elder-?!”  
  
“Enough.” He raised his raised, silencing the groom. Then he turned back to “But understand, Brother Breakdown, that Brother Volley is also correct; he has hunted and claimed this nymph for his betrothed. A fitting gift.”  
  
“I know, which is why I challenge him,” Breakdown said, glaring at Volley, “A fight and the winner take Sally.”  
  
Nightfury looked little perplexed, looking up at Breakdown with a bit of uncertainty. A challenge? She had never heard of such a thing… But she trusted him. He had said that there was a way about doing this; this must have been the way.   
  
Elder Switchboard didn’t look surprised, but there was a murmur traveling through the small crowd that was starting to gather around. Challenges were pretty common among all ogre tribes, usually used to settle disputes or tensions or for sport. It really just depended… Though it wasn’t often someone from another tribe came all the way to challenge someone from another tribe, especially not for a doll.  
  
But as Breakdown said, the doll in question was his lover and this strange woman’s child. Breakdown was blooded too; he had every right to challenge Volley for the doll.  
  
“Very well,” he said. “The arena isn’t being used currently. Would you prefer to wait or-?”  
  
“I challenge him now,” Breakdown stressed. Hell, he was ready to fight him right here on the streets. He would not leave this place without Sally in his arms… And if that meant he had to beat this ogre’s face right here outside his hut, then he would.  
  
“Then follow,” Elder Switchboard turned, motioning for Volley to follow.  
  
Instead, all surrounding the exchange followed to an open area, away from the huts and tents they had pulled up. It was a wise move, since it would minimise the amount of damage the pair could potentially make.  
  
Nightfury was weary, unsure how this may end and her worry extended to not only Sally but to Breakdown as well. It was still a new feeling for her, regarding an ogre she had once been weary of as someone she cared for. He was family, and she refused to lose anymore. Even since the Silas incident she had been concerned for Breakdown just as she would with Sally.  
  
“You both know the laws,” the Elder said as the ogre entered the arena. “No weapons, only your fists. To the death or when one yields.”  
  
The crowd roared, applauding the fight and hooting with anticipation. Breakdown stepped into the ring formed by the crowd, Volley doing the same before he walked over to his betrothed. He kissed her hand before pressing it to his heart; this fight was for her. The crowd seemed elated by the attention and dedication, cheering even harder.  
  
Breakdown was just prepared to end him. He didn’t need an entire crowd cheering for him. He had Nightfury’s support and he was doing this for Sally. He wished she didn’t have to watch this, the young nymph still shackled and sitting in that ogress’ lap. Primus, she looked so scared and helpless…  
  
He knew what he had to do. And for her, he would do just about anything.  
  
Elder Switchboard paused a moment, sizing up the combatants before his hand shot up. Volley charged, caught by Breakdown and locking hands. They struggled for control, trying to overpower the other but Volley grunted and growled, his feet dragging and gouging the ground.  
  
“I won’t lose my Dala because of some doll,” Volley hissed, shifting weight and getting Breakdown to move aside. But Breakdown stayed firm, moving with the poor attempt to over balance him. “I’ve waited too long!”  
  
“Just shut up,” Breakdown snarled.  
  
He swept low, kicking out Volley’s legs and toppling the ogre. Pinning him down, Breakdown managed a strong hold and tightened his fist. Volley tried to block but could only managed to guard his face as Breakdown’s fist railed down. The continuous blows could have rightly shattered Volley’s arm, but he caught Breakdown’s blindside, thrusting his open palm into Breakdown’s covered eye. The shock and flash of pain toppled the larger Ogre off him.  
  
“Cheap shot,” Breakdown hissed, ignoring the pain in his face and the blood rolling from under the patch.  
  
Sally gasped, wanting to move off of Dala’s lap, but was held back by the persistent ogress. Primus, this had to stop. Breakdown was hurt and bleeding because of her. This had to stop before something worse happened!  
  
Volley tried again and again to catch Breakdown’s blind side, but he wouldn’t be caught out again. Breakdown continued catching his punches and landing his own against Volley’s head. With enough knocks to his head, Volley began to sway, affected by the constant barrage.  
  
The young ogre attempted a kick, but Breakdown locked around the limb and forced down on his knee, snapping the joint. A wail of pain and Volley dropped to the ground. Snatching his flailing arm, Breakdown pinned the orge down, knee to his shoulder and tensed his arm, more than willing to dislocate his shoulder and snap his neck.  
  
“I yield! I yield! Don’t kill me!!” Volley screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks from the pain in his leg and arm.  
  
Breakdown was more than ready to deal the final blow, but the ogre had cried mercy. The match was already over… And he didn’t want Sally to have to see him murder anyone either. Besides, he had done what he swore to do - he saved her. She wasn’t going anywhere again. So, with a rough shove, he let Volley fall to the floor with his leg snapped.  
  
The Elder raised his hand. “Brother Breakdown has emerged as the victor. The terms of the fight shall be fulfilled!”  
  
Loud chatter and hollering filled the arena. A couple of Volley’s friends quickly ran to his aid, the poor ogre unable to even get up. Nightfury just rushed over to Breakdown’s side, the ogre giving a small groan as he tried to wipe the blood from his patched eye.  
  
Nightfury felt a wave of relief come over her. When Volley had landed those cheap shots, she had felt a protective rage come through her. Her friend, her family, was getting hurt and there was nothing she could do… But she didn’t doubt Breakdown’s strength. That didn’t mean she wasn’t glad it was over.  
  
Sally was glad too. Especially when a guard came over to Dala’s seat. She looked reluctant, her hands still gripping Sally tight enough to keep her in place. But the guard was still able to reach over and release the shackles from Sally’s wrists. And the second they fell to the ground, Sally shoved Dala away and jumped into the arena.  
  
“Breakdown! Nightfury!” she cried, sprinting towards them.  
  
Nightfury felt relief rush through her, opening her arms and embracing the now crying nymph. She petted her hair and shushed her sobs just as Breakdown approached to check her himself. Nightfury slacked her grip enough for Sally to rush Breakdown, crying and checking her lover.  
  
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t… I didn’t mean to…”  
  
He kissed her forehead, holding her close. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault,” he cooed, refusing to let her go.  
  
“We’re just glad you’re okay,” Nightfury smiled, placing her own kiss on Sally’s head. They were just glad Sally was okay.  
  
Once Volley was situated and escorted to the healer’s, Elder Switchboard came to bid them farewell. While Breakdown just wanted to get out of there, he remained civil as the Elder provided them with packs filled with water, some food, and bandages. He knew it was mostly just a token act to ensure they hadn’t insulted one of Megatron’s ranks, but he took them anyway. And the minute he did, he left with Sally cradled in his arms with Nightfury right beside them.  
  
They waited until they were some ways away from the ogre encampment before sitting down to rest for a minute. While most of Breakdown’s injuries weren’t too serious, he did have several cuts and bruises starting to form. Not to mention his eyes was still bleeding.  
  
He refused to let go of Sally though. Even when she tried to push off of his lap to let Nightfury tend to his wounds, he wouldn’t let her go. Almost as if he were afraid she would get snatched up again.  
  
Nightfury didn’t mind. She understood. So, using some of the medical supplies there were given, she tended to his eye first.  
  
“Breakdown…” Sally whimpered, touching his cheek. “I’m sorry you got hurt…”  
  
“I’m fine, Sally. It doesn’t even hurt.” Which was a lie, it hurt like hell, but he didn’t want her to fuss over him. This was nothing, and something he would willingly take again if it meant Sally would be fine.  
  
Nightfury shook her head, smiling at the bravado he would show off. She still placed a medicinal leaf Genesis had taught her to help fight off the pain. He didn’t resist, even shooting a small smile as she left the patch be and took point. Genesis or Knock Out would definitely need to look at it later, but this was a good solution for the short journey back home.  
  
They didn’t say much when they started their trek again. Sally was still too upset to talk. She had gotten Breakdown hurt… if she had just noticed how quiet things had gotten before those ogres took her, this wouldn’t have happened!  
  
Volley wouldn’t have gotten hurt either. She had been afraid of him, but… he just wanted to give a gift worthy enough for his bride to be, Dala. She wasn’t mean either. Neither of them were mean; they fed her yummy food and changed her, but she was still afraid of them. After all, Volley’s friend had threatened to hurt her if she kept making a fuss. She didn’t want to get hurt…  
  
She wished this hadn’t have happened. Neither Breakdown nor Volley would have gotten hurt. And Dala had looked so sad and even a little scared when Volley lost… She should have just run away when she realized things weren’t right in the first place.  
  
It wasn’t until dusk that they returned, both Genesis and Knock Out running out of the small hospice to meet them.  
  
“What the hell happened?!” Knock Out demanded, his face twisted with anger and worry as they approached. “Breakdown?!”  
  
Breakdown sighed. Though reluctant, he gently placed Sally in Nightfury’s arms and walked over to the incubus. The incubus only looked angrier when he saw his injuries.  
  
“What did you do?!”  
  
“While we were hunting-“  
  
“I already know that! You felt something was wrong, I felt it too! Nightfury dropped off your kill and then took off again! I’m asking what happened afterwards! Just - look at you, you’re injured!”  
  
“We best move this inside,” Genesis said, seeing some of the villagers coming out of their homes to investigate all the noise. “That way we can discuss this in peace.”  
  
Knock Out was beyond caring what some villagers thought. He was too furious by the fact that Breakdown was bleeding from his eye! Still, Genesis had a point. He didn’t need outsiders snooping into something that wasn’t their business.  
  
Knock Out snatched Breakdown by the arm and forced him back into the hospice, the ogre letting out small hiss from the pain. Nightfury and Genesis quickly followed with Sally, who was still upset, even more so now that she saw Knock Out was angry. She didn’t mean for this to happen. She never wanted to cause anyone any trouble.  
  
While Knock Out dragged Breakdown to the back room, Nightfury carried Sally to the couch in their living quarters. Once she set her down, sitting beside her, Genesis came up to pet the little nymph’s hair before placing a soft kiss to her forehead. Soon, he moved to the kitchen to brew Sally’s favorite tea in an attempt to help calm her down.  
  
He could hear Knock Out shuffling through medical supplies. He and Breakdown were definitely arguing about something, though their voices were hushed and harsh with the occasional swear from Breakdown down.  
  
“There is more gauze and bandages in the storage cabinet,” he called.  
  
There wasn’t any verbal thank you, but Genesis could hear him going through said cabinet. Another curse, this one louder than the others. Genesis could see Sally flinch at the sound, Nightfury rubbing her back in an attempt to calm down her. Giving a soft sigh, Genesis brought the tea to her before sitting beside her.  
  
“Now,” he said softly, sparing a glance to Nightfury. “What happened?”  
  
“Long story short,” Nightfury explained, reaching up to rub her eyes. “Ogres from a neighboring tribe took Sally as some betrothal gift. Through a combat challenge, Breakdown set her free, though getting injured in the process.”  
  
He didn’t need to know the details yet. She would tell him more later once Sally was well taken care of and officially calmed down. It was better to only say what was only important to the situation. “Honestly, there may have been more bloodshed if he was not there.”  
  
Genesis leaned over, kissing Nightfury in relief. “That’s good, so long as you were all safe.”  
  
He knew what her temper could be like, what could happen. He had seen it before... But he was glad she was managing it and had help from Breakdown.  
  
“But…” Sally turned their attention, more tears falling as she held her tea. “Breakdown got hurt. And the other ogre got hurt. All because of me…”  
  
“Oh Sally, it’s not your fault,” Nightfury cooed, but it didn’t quell her tears.  
  
“It...it is,” she sobbed, putting down the cup and burying her face into her hands. “If I hadn’t been so...careless, so silly, Volley wouldn’t have found me or gotten hurt. A-And Breakdown wouldn’t have gotten hurt either-!”  
  
Sally started sobbing hard. This was all her fault, no matter what anyone said. She went off by herself and didn’t take any precautions. She didn’t pay attention to the fact that everything had been so quiet. She didn’t run away the second she saw those ogres. She didn’t even call for help… So now Breakdown was hurt and so was Volley.  
  
He wasn’t a bad ogre. Neither was his bride. He wanted to show her how much he loved her. And he did, he loved her a lot. When he brought Sally back to the encampment, he had this other ogre - a doll collector, she figured out - dress her up. Make her look “as beautiful as possible for Dala” was his only request.  
  
Dala loved her, as a gift from her betrothed. They weren’t bad ogres, they were just excited and ready to marry… they were happy. Until Breakdown and Nightfury came and rescued her.  
  
She caused all of them so much trouble. She made her loved ones worry to death and she ruined what should have been a happy occasion between two lovers. All she had to do was pay attention and she couldn’t even do that…  
  
It was all her fault.  
  
She sobs only got louder. It was enough to draw Knock Out and Breakdown out from the back room, Breakdown’s eye and other injuries all taken care of and bandaged properly. It pained them to see Sally like this… Especially since when she started sobbing like this, it took her a long time to stop. So quickly, they moved over to join her.  
  
Nightfury and Genesis shifted, allowing the creatures to cradle Sally too. Knock Out sat down on the couch, bringing Sally into his lap while Breakdown knelt in front of her, allowing them all to surround her.  
  
Sally hiccuped, feeling Knock Out behind her and Breakdown massaging her thighs. She couldn’t look at either of them, feeling so low and stupid for everything that happened, but she didn’t push them away. Nightfury placed her forehead to hers, Breakdown petted her cheek while Genesis rubbed her shoulder and Knock Out tightened his grip on her waist.  
  
“It’s not your fault,” Breakdown cooed, stroking her cheek as Nightfury leant back. “Sally, you didn’t do anything wrong.”  
  
She didn’t say anything. She just cried.  
  
Knock Out wasn’t surprised. Sally didn’t cry often; in fact, it was surprisingly rare to see her cry. But when she did, she could almost never stop. She would cry and cry and cry until she was too exhausted to even stay awake. She probably wasn’t even listening to them. She was too busy wrapped up in her own thoughts, probably blaming herself.  
  
He brought his lips to her ear, his hand reaching up to pat her hair. “You didn’t do this, Sally. You didn’t cause this to happen.”  
  
Her tears still rolled heavily down her cheeks, brushed aside by the incubus. His fingers were so gentle and soft... It tickled a bit. But the gentle touches just made me sob harder. She could have lost this. Because she hadn’t been paying attention, because she didn’t run away the minute she saw those ogres… She could have lost all of this.  
  
“Even if you were right next to Breakdown or Nightfury, those ogres would have come after you anyway,” Knock Out said softly. He brushed some fallen hair out of her face He toyed with a curl fallen from her ear, tucking it back behind it. “This wasn’t your fault.”  
  
She wasn’t listening. She was still crying, shaking her head and wincing at the hands on her. She felt sick and horrible, like she was going to throw up. And her face hurt, she was hysterical, and Knock Out knew she wouldn’t be able to stop now. He could see the others getting more tense the more she cried, Genesis and Nightfury at a loss while Breakdown just looked concerned.  
  
Letting out a heavy sigh, he moved a hand to cover her eyes. She gasped, her hands coming up to grab his arm, but he just gently shushed her. “Just relax, Sally. Relax…”  
  
Nightfury and Genesis watched as Sally seemed so slacken. Her hands dropped and lay on her lap as her shaking slowed and stopped. Knock Out removed his hand, only to place them on her hips to steady herself. Sally seemed to sway, her eyes were heavy and drooping. Breakdown reached up as she slowly fell forward and finally lost the fight; eyes closing and her body falling asleep.  
  
“Some sleep will help her the most,” Knock Out said softly, helping her settle into Breakdown’s lap as he cradled her.  
  
“It concerns me to ask,” Genesis turned their attention, his own skilled eyes watching them. “But I gather this is no the first time Sally has become this upset.”  
  
“It’s not,” Breakdown held Sally closer, watching her chest rise and fall. “Sally… She’s gone through some hell.”  
  
Nightfury always had a feeling, as well as Sally had once confided in her that life before her two lovers hadn’t been the best. She never explained further and Nightfury never pressured her to. Genesis knew too, but neither had ever seen Sally like this.  
  
“It’s taken us a while to discover what calms her down when she gets like this,” Knock Out said softly, turning to Nightfury. “You may have gone through hell, but Sally… it was so much different.”  
  
Nightfury shifted, petting Sally’s hair. He didn’t need to say anything else; she understood. What she went through with Nitroglide had been a living hell, but… She was aware that Sally was not only from a brothel, but she was born and raised there. There was a lot she still didn’t know… but it wasn’t her lovers’ place to tell. She had a right to privacy.   
  
“When she’s better, we can speak of it,” she said, brushing Sally’s hair out of her face.  
  
Knock Out, in one of his rare moments, placed a hand on Nightfury’s shoulder, offering a small squeeze. When they had become somewhat civil, she had answered his request and had shown the modifications and splicing in Nitroglige’s machinations. She knew pain, she knew suffering… And she was glad that Knock Out and Breakdown didn’t force Sally to speak of her own trauma.  
  
“It’s getting late,” she sighed, leaning back on her coils. “And after everything, you’re more than welcome to take the guest room tonight.”  
  
“You sure?” Breakdown asked, moving to stand with Sally fast asleep in his embrace.  
  
Both her and Genesis nodded.  
  
“Thank you.” Knock Out stood up as well. It was probably better to just rest up here for the night. Sally would have been upset if she woke up back at home. She might assume that Genesis and Nightfury kicked them out and think it was her fault…  
  
Even though he knew tomorrow, she would wake up and pretend everything was fine. She would act like she never had a breakdown and be extra attentive and try to please everyone and try to be as helpful as she could. It would probably be better if Genesis and Nightfury were here to help them talk to her. Again.  
  
“You two have a good night,” the incubus said, heading towards the guest room. Breakdown soon followed, giving a quick nod to the other two in appreciation with Sally still in his arms.  
  
“Certainly glad we had a large enough bed for them,” Genesis murmured, smiling and turning to Nightfury.  
  
But she just stared after them, her eyes locked on where they had left, her face scrunched up a bit round her nose.   
  
He sighed; he knew that face. She was worried, as any mother should when their child is in such distress. But she knew nothing, could do nothing… He gently touched her arm, bringing her attention back to him. “Now come on, no sense in getting all flustered now. We should turn in as well.”  
  
“You’re right,” she hummed, her coils lovingly looping the unicorn. “I just… worry.”  
  
“I know,” he moved in, pulling his much taller mate down to him, sealing her lips with his. “I worry too, but us both worrying won’t help, nor is it health. Rest now, and have a fresh start in the morning.”  
  
Nightfury smiled, a small chuckle only he could hear, allowing him to guide her to their bedroom. He was right… There would be tomorrow.  



	3. Chapter 3

Breakdown woke up to the smell of something delicious. It would have been more than content to just keep sleeping, but the scent - which smelled like meat and eggs - was overpowering. With a small groan, he opened his eyes… though he was shocked to find that he was looking directly at Knock Out, who was also just starting to wake up.

Last night, when they had gone to sleep, Breakdown made sure to have Sally lie in between them. Even if she was asleep, she needed to feel secure and protected and loved. Sleeping between them usually kept her at peace, especially after a breakdown like that. And she was usually still sleeping by the time he or Knock Out woke up.

But she wasn’t there. He sat up, glancing around the room. She wasn’t anywhere in here… And along with the smell of what was definitely breakfast, there was a light whiff of flowers tangled in it.

“When did she get up…?”

He turned to the voice, seeing Knock Out slowly sit up and rub his eyes. He reached over and rubbed the incubus’s shoulder. “Her spot is cold, so probably a while ago.”

“... She’s making breakfast…”

Breakdown nodded.

Knock Out groaned softly. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he got out of bed to head into the guest bathroom to fix himself up. He would be a while, probably wanted to take a quick rinse and wash his face and fix his hair. The incubus always had to look his best, especially if he was in someone else’s home. He refused to look anything less than perfect in front of other people, even if they were dubbed “family.”

Breakdown forced himself out of the bed and fixed himself up a little. He would need to head down to the river to clean up properly (it was the only place big enough for him to bathe), but he wanted to make sure Sally was okay first. She had been crying so much yesterday and she seemed so sullen while sleeping…

So he walked out into the living room, turning into the kitchen. He was a bit surprised to see Sally cooking, a smile on her face as she was working on making sausage, ham, eggs, and even hotcakes, of all things. There were even biscuits and jam and butter out and he could see flowers curled up on the window sill near the kitchen. No doubt created by her…

Nightfury and Genesis were there too, sitting at the set table with tea in their hands. He wasn’t sure how long they had been out there, but he could see that their teas were still warm with steam slowly rising up from the cups. Primus, how long had Sally been awake to have prepared all of this?

“Oh, Breakdown!”

He snapped out of his thoughts to see Sally looking at him.

“Good morning! Breakfast should be done soon! I really wanted to finish before everyone was up, so it would be all ready for you guys. I guess I should have guessed you would all wake up early! Oh - where’s Knock Out?”

“... Getting cleaned up.”

“Oh okay! Well, it should be a little longer, so you can get cleaned up too, if you want. Or I can get you some tea too?”

Breakdown looked to Nightfury and Genesis, both of them obviously concerned. He knew about Sally’s past, so did Knock Out, but it seemed that Nightfury and Genesis weren’t told nor knew what happened. They looked at a loss, turning to him for some kind of answer. As much as he wanted to explain it off, It was complicated; probably too complicated for this time of the morning.

“I’m okay. I’ll...be right back.”

“Okay! Breakfast will be done when you get back!”

Breakdown just watched her for a few seconds, Sally just starting to hum to herself. He spared a glance at Nightfury and Genesis, giving them a small nod. Then he slipped out of the house and made for the nearby river. He didn’t really want to leave her, but he really needed to clean up, especially from yesterday’s tussle.

A few moments later, Knock Out came out of the bedroom. He was practically radiant as he strolled to the table, though he did pause when he noticed everything Sally had prepared. And when she greeted him in a cheery voice, asking him if he wanted her to get anything, he knew exactly what was going on. This wasn’t the first time she had reacted like this.

“How long has she been like this?” he asked quietly, sitting next to the others.

“Since first light,” Genesis replied, watching Sally as she seemed in her own world. “I came out to conduct my rounds and she had already stocked the oven and was pulling food from Nightfury’s cooler and storage.”

Nightfury merely nodded, her eyes still locked on Sally with worry. She noticed Sally trying to reach something high up and moved to grab a chair. Being closer, and not wanting to see her get hurt because of what she was doing, Nightfury curled her tail enough for Sally to step on instead. Sally seemed to hesitate but Nightfury remained and kept an eye as Sally climbed up and reached her prize.

“This...isn’t normal,” Nightfury said quietly, never loud enough for Sally to hear.

“It is when something has really upset her, like last night,” Knock Out said, watching Sally finish up her cooking. “It isn’t healthy, but we’ve never been able to find a way to work through it.”

“Has talking yielded anything?” Genesis asked. He had treated several patients with mental illnesses as well as physical; sometimes talking often yielded the solution of the problem.

“It usually makes it worse,” Knock Out sighed, shaking his head. “We’ve tried in the past, but she either doesn’t speak or draws away and distracts with something else.”

Nightfury looked to Sally again. Primus, this… However she was trying to cope, this wasn’t healthy. But if Knock Out and Breakdown had already tried talking to her about it in the past, she knew she and Genesis couldn’t say anything. They definitely didn’t want to send her into hysterics again.

Sally hummed to herself as she shut off the oven. Everything was finally ready! Cooked to perfection, smelled good, had big portions… It was something everyone would enjoy. She made sure to make enough meat for both Nightfury and Breakdown, maybe a little too much, but the others could eat it. And she could eat whatever was left.

She also made sure to give everyone plenty of options as well. Not just meat, but eggs and hotcakes and biscuits with three different types of jams. She also had everyone’s preferred tea ready for them, among other beverages. Everything was perfect and made from scratch; she was so happy it all turned out so well.

One by one, she brought each large serving platter to the table. She didn’t notice the others’ stares, too busy trying to make sure everything was set up perfectly.

And luckily, just as she set down the last platter, Breakdown walked back in. He was definitely much cleaner than before, looking quite refreshed. She smiled brightly and gestured him to come sit down.

“I just finished!” she said excitedly, running up to him and giving the ogre a kiss on the cheek. Breakdown was a little caught off guard, but didn’t get a chance to say anything as she guided him back over to the table. “I got plenty of food for you guys! And I’ve got your favorite tea ready, so just let me know if you want me to pour you a-”

“Where’s your seat?”

Knock Out’s sudden question caused her to snap out of her ramble as she had Breakdown sit down, making her turn to the incubus with a confused look.

“You only set for four seats,” he said. “Where are you sitting?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me, enjoy your breakfast and I’ll…” she didn’t get a chance to finish, Nightfury gently circled her tail around Sally’s waist and shifted her over between Breakdown and Knock Out, both shifted aside while Breakdown pulled an extra chair sitting beside him. Placed down, Sally watched as Genesis fetched another plate and Knock Out grabbed an extra knife and fork for her.

“We would enjoy it more...as a family,” Nightfury smiled, using her tail to brush a stray strand from Sally’s face and rub her cheek. “You worked so hard, we’d want you to enjoy it too.” He doubted it was from experience, but Knock Out could see the gears working in Nightfury’s head. It wasn’t a solution, but certainly something to ease the tension.

“She’s right,” he purred, cupping Sally’s cheek as Nightfury’s tail receded. “You should enjoy your own efforts as well.”

Sally opened her mouth to protest, more than ready to shift from her chair, but Knock Out remained firm.

“Now no fussing,” he said, picking up his fork to spear a piece of sausage. “Just say ‘ahhh~’”

Sally didn’t know what to do. She had made this meal for them. To thank them for yesterday. To apologize for making them worry. To show that she really was sorry and that she didn’t mean to cause any trouble… But she could feel everyone staring at her. Everyone wanted her to eat and she refused, she would just be causing trouble.

And not wanting to do that, she opened her mouth and let her lover feed her. And she felt relief when she could see that everyone had relaxed.

As everyone started to dig into their meal and enjoy their food, Sally mostly kept to herself as she monitored over everything. She watched their faces to make sure they enjoyed the food. She made sure all their cups were decently filled. She kept her eye on what was being eaten the most and what was being left aside.

She also made sure to nibble on what was on her plate too. She didn’t take much, just a few scraps of food here and there. She didn’t want to eat too much, but she knew she had to eat something to make them worry. She couldn’t keep worrying them…

“Would you like to come shopping today, Sally?”

Sally looked up, seeing Nightfury smiling. It was that motherly smile Sally lit up seeing on Nightfury. It really suited her… She wished she would smile like that more often.

“Y-Yes, I’d love to,” Sally said with a small smile, pleased to see her work was paying off.

“Eat up then, it will be a long day. We’ll need a lot of things from the market,” Nightfury nodded. She could see Sally was monitoring them, ensuring they were happy when all they wanted was for her to be happy. She couldn’t begin to think of how to remedy this, but if being a mother was enough, she would. “You’ll need your strength.”

“Okay.” Sally took a few extra pieces of fruit; she happily munched away. She had a chance to show she was helpful…

That was until she saw Breakdown move a napkin over his mouth. She would have thought he was just wiping his lips when she saw his jaws flex. Sally stiffened, paling a bit as she realized he was spitting something up.

“Breakdown?” she asked, her voice a higher octave than normal. “Is… Is something wrong?”

He inwardly flinched. Shit, he hadn’t meant to have her see that. It wasn’t even that big of a deal! He just saw some of the eggs and felt a piece of shell in them… It was out of habit that he just spit it out. Damn it, he should have just swallowed it! “It’s nothing, Sally.”

“B-But…” Her eyes fell to the napkin. “You didn’t like the eggs?”

“No, no!” He placed a hand on hers, holding it gently and making her look up at them. “I like the eggs, there just was a little bit of a shell in them. It happens. I like the eggs, Sally, we all do.”

His words were meant to bring comfort, but it didn’t. Sally just sat there, her eyes falling to the bowl of eggs on the table. There was a piece of shell in them. Even though she had made sure to check for shells, one still got in there. Or maybe more. There were probably more shells in there because she wasn’t paying attention. Because she had been focused on getting everything else ready and now there were probably even more shell pieces in the eggs because she didn’t check properly.

And now she ruined breakfast. She could feel them staring at her again. They were mad, they had to have been. She had done this for them and she still managed to ruin everything. Just like how she ruined yesterday. She was causing problems, even when she was trying so hard not to. She just couldn’t stop herself….

Sally took her hand away from him, jumping to her feet. Before Knock Out or Breakdown could grab a hold of her again, she bolted from the table.

“Sally!” Breakdown shouted.

But she had already run out the front door, slamming it behind her.

Nightfury rose and slid after her, caring little for the others calling out. Sally may have been fast, especially in the forest, but she was faster. The moment she spotted Sally, she struck; she scooped the girl into her arms and took to the skies.

Unsurprisingly, Sally struggled. Nightfury could feel her wiggling and pushing, but all she did was shift her so she had a better grip on her. She didn’t want Sally wriggling enough to fall. With a few flaps, she landed in Sally’s favourite meadow, the morning dew still shining on petals in the morning sun. Nightfury gently coiled her tail, still uneasy with landing on the prehensile limb but steady enough not to fall.

She settled Sally on her feet, though the little nymph slumped to her knees. Nightfury shifted too, moving to sit with her and holding her hand, just in case she tried to run away again.

“Sally,” she cooed, even though Sally tried to pull away. “No one is staring, no one is here. Just breathe.”

She didn’t know how to help Sally and it frustrated her. She had suffered pains no other could ever imagine, torn apart and put back together and repeated for years, her mind broken and stitched back. And yet, she had little to no clue how Sally was coping nor how she could help her. She didn’t even know what sort of trauma she had gone through for her to be like this.

But she did know how to find ways to calm and relax her, just as Genesis had done for her. The meadow was where many of the resident nymphs came to frolic and play; Sally always liked the flowers here. They made her happy. And even if they couldn’t necessary make her smile right now, it would make her feel at peace.

She heard her whimper, hiccup and hold back tears, but Nightfury wiped them away as she rubbed her back.

“I’m sorry…!” Sally whimpered, her eyes locked on the floor. She still tried to pull away, but Nightfury wouldn’t let her. “I-I don’t want to cause problems, I don’t, I didn’t mean to…! I-I-I just wanted to thank you-! A-And show I wasn’t a burden-!”

“You’re never a burden, Sally.” Now Nightfury had a better idea. She wasn’t sure where an anxiety like this came from, but at least now she knew what was causing this. “And you don’t to thank us, we love you so much.”

“But...but I get in the way, like yesterday...you and Breakdown...Breakdown got hurt because I…”

Nightfury kissed her head, holding her closer. “That’s what love does to us. Breakdown would rather that than see you sad or worse, hurt. It’s never because you’re a burden, we want you to be okay too.”

Sally didn’t say anything, just looking away as a few tears escaped down her cheeks.

But Nightfury was there to wipe them away. “We care about you. We would never abandon you nor shun you for any reason. You are a part of this family. Me and Genesis, Knock Out and Breakdown. We all love you and wish you happiness and safety.”

Sally still didn’t respond and still didn’t look at her. Slithering around her, Nightfury had found braiding her hair was another thing Sally liked. It must have been a nymph custom since most others do the same and thread flowers and branches into the braids. Nightfury wasn’t that great at weaving flowers and everything together, but she could tow with strands and make simply braids.

“I’m sure you worry about us too,” she said. “When Breakdown and I hunt, or Knock Out and Genesis handling hard patients. But you never shun us, because you love us too. Just like we love you.”

“I always mess things up…” Sally whispered, looked down at her hands. “For families… I’m not good with families. I always mess up my families. My mother… the brothel… They were my family and they’re gone now. Everything’s gone and it’s my fault… It’s always my fault. I-I don’t… I don’t want anymore families if I’m just going to lose them.”

Nightfury frowned. Was that where all this was coming from? Life was obviously not kind to Sally, but to make her think a family would fall apart just because of her? Nightfury had a feeling calling all of them a family wasn’t going to help.

“I guess...family is a bit of a strong word then,” Sally paused, waiting for what she was going to say. “But it doesn’t change anything. Knock Out and Breakdown love you, for you, just as an lovers should.” Plucking a flower close by, Nightfury tried to thread the plant through her hair. “As for me and Genesis...you can call us your caretakers. Until you’re ready. We love you and will help you anyway we can. You’re never a burden on us. Sometimes we feel we haven’t done enough since you’re always so ready to help around. That makes you so special to us.”

Sally didn’t reply. She wanted to believe Nightfury. She had never lied to her before, she would never lie… But she was still so afraid. Afraid to lose them, afraid to become the burden she had been for everyone else, to cause everyone problems…. The incident with Volley was just one thing, but something else could happen. It could small, like the eggs. It could big, like it was with Volley.

And either of them could destroy everything she had if she couldn’t take care of herself and kept causing everyone trouble.

She pulled her hair away from Nightfury. But instead of running away, she moved to lie down in the grass, curling up into a ball. “Can you go back first?” she asked softly. “I’ll come back, I promise. I wanna… be alone right now.”

“I’ll be honest,” Nightfury sighed, brushing her hair; “I don’t want to. But for you, I will.”

“... Thank you.”

Placing a kiss on her cheek, Nightfury slithered off. She noticed a few nymphs nearby, watching them but never approaching. “Please,” she said. “Make sure she comes home.”

She didn’t care if they replied or even listened since she could see in their eyes they were afraid of her ghastly image. Sighing, she took off towards the skies and back to the village. It wasn’t a long flight, but she knew it would be faster flying back instead of simply slithering. Besides, she figured they would all want to know what happened sooner than later.


	4. Chapter 4

Nightfury could see Breakdown, Knock Out, and Genesis all waiting outside with looks of concern. When they saw her, they looked relieved… until they realized she didn’t have Sally with her.

Just as she landed, Knock Out approached. “Where is she?”

“She wanted to be alone,” Nightfury said. “She’s down in the meadow… There are other nymphs there. I don’t know if they’ll keep her company, but I asked them to make sure she came home.”

“Damn it…” Breakdown reached up to rub his temples. “Damn it, this was my fault, I should have just swallowed the damn things…”

“What did she say?” Knock Out demanded. Breakdown was having his little pity party, but now wasn’t the time to think about who was to blame or what should have been done. He needed to know what Sally was thinking. “Did she say anything?”

“She…” Nightfury still didn't fully understand any of this and it scared her. “She said she always mess things up. That she’s not good with families. Always mess up her families. She mentioned her mother and the brothel. She’s scared of losing us because we’re a family.”

Knock Out and Breakdown spared a glance at each other. Primus, even after all this time, even though it had been years since they took her from that hellish place… It was like they could never heal the wounds on her heart. They tried and tried and, even though she was always so positive and upbeat and happy, whenever something like this happened, she was hit such a low that it took a while for her to come from.

They knew she would recover from this, just like all the other lows she had hit… But they didn’t want her to hit such lows anymore. Not over people like her whore of a mother and that bitch of an owner.

Knock Out finally huffed, shaking his head. They were Sally’s family now. All four of them… but he and Breakdown couldn’t be the only ones to help her and know all about her. Nightfury and Genesis needed to know too. “Come,” he said, gesturing them to follow him back into the house. “We need to talk.”

“Wait, Knock-”

“She’ll never tell them on her own. So we have to.”

Genesis and Nightfury, though still very confused, followed after them. Breakdown and Knock Out sat at the table, which Genesis had cleaned up earlier, and Nightfury sat across from them. Once Genesis was sure the few still recovering in his clinic were stable, he entered the kitchen and sat beside Nightfury.

He could see Breakdown was tense while Knock Out had this somber expression on his face. It put them both on edge. Just what was Knock Out going to tell them?

“You know Sally was born and raised in a brothel,” he said. “You know we met her there, we took her from that hellhole, and we had the place demolished.”

NIghtfury and Genesis nodded. He had said this before… But they remained silent. There was clearly much more to this.

“Sally is the youngest of her siblings,” he explained. “Her mother was a prostitute in the brothel. I have never met her, but Sally insists she was beautiful. And every time she had gotten pregnant by a client, the client would take the child and raise it as their own. But then Sally was born and the client didn’t take her. So she was left to live in that place with her mother.”

“Her mother…” Breakdown paused for a moment, trying to find the right word to describe that woman. “She was cruel. She didn’t love Sally nor did she try to raise her. According to Sally, she was often left in the care of the cooks and the Madam’s servants. I guess the Madam liked kids or at least tolerated them.”

“Regardless, Sally’s mother hated her and let Sally know that. When Sally was barely six, that woman told her own child that she regretted not getting an abortion.”

There was a sudden crunch. All eyes darted to Nightfury, watching her shoulder shake and her fingers pierce the table. Her teeth clenched, her tail flicked and her markings only faintly rose. Genesis took her hand, placing a hand on her shoulder and drew her close to him. Knock Out and Breakdown simply watched, having a guess this would be how Nightfury would react. She took a breath and tried to relax, still very angry but in control.

“Disgusting filth,” she hissed, keeping Genesis’ hand in hers, turning back to the incubus and ogre. “S-Sorry, is there anything else?”

“Her mother eventually left,” Knock Out said. “She was bought by a client. I don’t know if she just didn’t mention she had a child or if the client wasn’t interested, but she was sold and promptly left Sally alone in that place when she about eight. The Madam kept her around though; she told her that if Sally didn’t cause trouble and did what she was told, she could stay.”

“Then....” Breakdown took a deep breath. This was where he had to keep himself under control. Especially considering Sally didn’t think anything wrong about it. “Sally got older. I guess she… was more developed and was prettier than most twelve years old.”

“According to Sally, it was just oral sex at first,” Knock Out added, disgust apparent in his voice. “The clients loved her though. Thought she was cute… So they gave her gifts. And attention. Something her mother never gave her. So she saw nothing wrong with becoming a prostitute.”

“What?!” Now Genesis was disgusted, “Had they no regard for her health? The physical alone makes my mind spin, but the mental? Even the most sleazy of brothels would at least have shown a care!”

“Disgusting,” Nightfury hissed, growling under her breath. “How she’s so casual, never thinking nor seeing the bad... They did this to her.”

Breakdown nodded. “They did… But she never saw it that way. Primus, she still doesn’t. She knows that she shouldn’t have been having sex so young, but she doesn’t understand why it was bad or what was going on… She thought she was doing something good. Because clients liked her. And if clients were happy, then the Madam was happy.”

“And when the Madam was happy, she praised Sally… Sally sort of made her into her new mother figure. I only met the Madam a few times, but despite her immoral practices, she was never outwardly cruel to the girls. Impartial and cool, but never cruel… And she praised her prostitutes that brought in the clients. The other girls… they were like Sally’s sisters, her friends… They all became her family. They got along, they took care of each other, and she just continued to work there, blissfully ignorant.”

“Until we came along,” Breakdown said, gesturing to the two of them. “We only went to the brothel since General Bombrush heard about it and wanted investigated.”

“Yes… Despite being incredibly liberal with sex and having more partners than any incubus I’ve known, the general doesn’t take too kindly to those practicing child prostitution.” Knock Out sighed. When he and Breakdown had first been assigned to investigate, he had been annoyed and thought it was a waste of time; now he was incredibly grateful they had gone to that place. “That was when we met Sally… She was already an adult by then and incredibly popular. It was shocking, especially when she told us so freely that she had been ‘serving guests’ since she was a child.”

Breakdown nodded in agreement. “After nearly half a year of investigating, Sally and a few other girls, some underaged, were going to be sold off to some special client of the Madam’s… We were able to set up a raid of the place before it could happen though.”

“So you saved her,” Genesis said.

Knock Out nodded. “Sally and the prostitutes were taken to a safe location for exams and questioning and such. The Madam and a lot of clients were arrested; a lot of the servants and some clients escaped. Once it was taken care of, we took Sally into our home since we had gotten close.”

“But Sally…” Breakdown sighed. “I guess she had gone to see the Madam in her cell. The Madam basically blamed her for everything and said that she should have thrown her out when her mother left. Some of the other prostitutes weren’t too happy either; they had nowhere else to go since a lot of them couldn’t read or write or have really any skills outside of sex.”

“The people she called family and the place she had called home… it was all gone,” Knock Out said, a little softer this time. While that place had been horrible, he understood how Sally had felt. It was all she had and all she had known. Then it had just completely disappeared in one night. “She has us, but… she always blamed herself for what happened to the only place she knew as home.”

Nightfury and Genesis remained silent. Hearing the whole story, a part of them finally understood Sally’s predicament. They finally understood her need to please and why she was so upset after yesterday. Two people she looked to as her mother… they both told her she was a burden. It was heartless and cruel…. And they wished there was more they could do for her.

But this was something rather hard to fix. Her habits to please were hard to break. They could only do what Knock Out and Breakdown had been doing all this time; they would just have to reassure and show Sally she was meaningful to them, that they truly loved her and would never allow such things to happen.

“She knows we’re her family now,” Knock Out said, leaning back into his chair. “And she’s usually happy about it. But when situations like this come up, she becomes frightened. She thinks we’ll come to hate her too.”

“Reassuring her seems to have no effect,” Nightfury shook her head, “I said it so many times, even shown it, but she still…”

Genesis placed a hand on her shoulder, showing his support. “I’ve only seen a handful of such cases, all were difficult to treat,” the unicorn sighed. “There is no medicine to treat such things, only time and coping mechanisms.” Turning to Knock Out, his gaze turned professional. “Have you found anything or done anything to help abate these moments, or does she take her own time to resolve them?”

“She takes her own time,” Knock Out said. “Trying to help her just makes her withdraw into herself… We found it best to just let her know we’re there.”

“We’ve tried to get her to talk to someone,” Breakdown explained. “But… She just won’t. It’s almost like she refuses to talk about it, especially her mother. She gets upset if anyone pushes about her… So we found it better to just be there for her on her bad days, since they’re rare.”

Nightfury and Genesis looked to one another. No matter what, they would be there for Sally, no question of it, but this was a risky path. Sally could go either way and they dreaded what might happen if she got worse. But Nightfury recalled her days clawing her own demons. Having hope and someone at her side helped. And if Sally had managed until now, especially with Knock Out and Breakdown by her side, Nightfury had to have faith, no matter what heart ache her worry drew on.

“Then...we should allow her time,” she nodded, turning to the other, “But we also need to make it clear she can come to us. Anytime, no matter what. Having that assurance should, at least, give her the confidence to consider asking for our help.”

Genesis nodded, holding her hand.

Knock Out considered the thought, looking to Breakdown. They both stared at each other for a few moments, almost as if having a conversation between their minds. They knew how Sally worked, they knew what she needed… It was just hard to get it through her mind. But they had to keep trying. It would eventually get through to her; it would just take a long while.

Breakdown looked back to Nightfury. “We know… We just have to keep at it.”

And they all would. But for now, they just had to wait for Sally to come home… They just all hoped it would be soon. 


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was setting by the time Sally returned to Nightfury and Genesis’ home. She hoped Knock Out and Breakdown hadn’t left yet. She ended up staying out a lot longer than she intended, but it had been nice to play with the other nymphs. She made flower crowns, danced, sang, and even went swimming with mermaids. It was nice…

And it gave her time to think about everything. She believed Nightfury and she trusted everything she, Genesis, Knock Out, and Breakdown said to her. They wouldn’t lie to her, they would never… But she was so scared. She didn’t want to lose everything again. Her family, this family… It was the best she ever had. Better than the brothel and much better than her mother. She didn’t want to screw it all up again.

Especially not when Nightfury had said she was her daughter to Elder Switchboard. Sally had been surprised by that, but touched… and fearful to. Everyone who she had thought of as her mother left her. She didn’t want Nightfury to leave too.

When Sally saw that the sun had started to set, she knew she had to go back. Staying out at night alone would only make them worry even more. And she had caused enough trouble, especially this morning… She needed to apologize.

So, very quietly, she approached the home. She could see through the window that Genesis was cooking something while Nightfury was outside on the roof, lazing around in the last of the afternoon heat. Knock Out and Breakdown must have been somewhere inside… Taking a deep breath, she came closer.

Her eyes met Nightfury’s. A moment passed before Sally saw her smile curled her lip. Slithering down the wall, she landed next to Sally.

“Welcome home, dear,” she hummed, planting a small kiss on her forehead. “How was your day?” She tested the waters, gaging how Sally was after she had been away most of the day.

“It was nice,” she said softly. “I… played with the other nymphs. And some spriggans and mermaids. It was fun.”

“My my, such an active day, you must be hungry.” Nightfury petted her hair before opening the door for them both.

Sally skipped inside first, Nightfury entering after her. Stepping into the lounging area, Sally smiled at Knock Out, lying back on a long couch while Breakdown appeared to be cleaning something. She was glad they hadn’t left… She was afraid that they might have. For work or maybe to leave her, she wouldn’t know. She just glad they were there.

“Best go clean up before dinner,” Nightfury cooed, tickling her cheek before slithering into the kitchen, ducking to mind her wings.

Hearing her speak, Knock Out and Breakdown looked up from their spots. They looked a little surprised to see Sally back, but they didn’t say anything. They merely waited for her to come to them, which she did… But they could tell she was being cautious. Like a scared rabbit, she moved to sit down on the couch next to Knock Out.

So, Knock Out pulled her against his side. She gave a small squeak when he hugged her tightly, burying his face into her hair. Breakdown moved to sit beside her as well, a gentle hand pressed to her back.

“K-Knock Out-?”

“Shh,” he murmured softly, moving to plant kisses across her face. “I love you, so let me do this…”

Sally didn’t say anything. And when Breakdown joined in the kisses, planting them on the other side of her face and hair and shoulder, she visibly relaxed. She smiled, even letting out small giggles when their hands grazed over more sensitive areas. It felt really nice… It was sweet and she could feel warmth pool into her chest and stomach. It felt good.

Fortunately, the warmth didn’t go away once dinner started. Sally quickly cleaned before coming back to the kitchen. Genesis smiled and kissed her head as she helped bring food to the table. Nightfury petted her hair as she passed and they all sat. They chatted, listened and laughed and Sally could feel her smile growing wider, as if nothing had happened.

Then came time to leave. Knock Out had to get back to the city for clients and soldiers tomorrow. Sally was sad to leave, but she knew she could always come back tomorrow or the next day… So, as the sun started setting, she and her lovers were gathered outside, bidding their goodbyes.

Nightfury handed Sally a small bundle - some of Genesis tasty treats, some of her favorites - before she saw a look they shared.

“We’re glad you had a wonderful day, Sally,” Genesis said with a smile, taking her hand. “Stay safe on your way back.”

“I will!” She smiled back, but something about their looks made her feel something was wrong.

Then Nightfury made a slight trill sound, bringing Sally in close for a tight hug. “Have a good night,” she said softly. “And we’ll be here tomorrow.” She placed a soft kiss on Sally’s forehead.

Genesis drew in too, placing his own peck on her cheek and embracing them both. “We’ll always be here.”

The strange sense disappeared and Sally smiled, hugging them back before running after Knock Out and Breakdown. The two men gave a look back, a small nod of gratitude, before turning to leave for back home.

Nightfury watched her run after them, her worry for her charge… her daughter still strong. Though it did seem stronger than normal. Probably because she knew the truth. She knew what Sally had gone through, what she had suffered… and all she wanted to do was love and protect her. And show her that she wouldn’t leave. She would never leave.

“We’ll keep working at it,” Genesis said, drawing her from her thoughts. She turned to him just as he took her hand and pulled her down for a warm kiss. “Sally needs reassurance, it will take time.”

Nightfury nodded as they too turned in for the night. Even though the worrying in her stomach wouldn’t leave, she knew Genesis was right. They were here for Sally, and they just needed to keep reminding her. They would always be there for her… Always and forever.


End file.
